How often should you feed a Yorkie?

In this blog post, we will answer the following question: How often should you feed a Yorkie? We will teach you the basics of feeding a puppy, adult, and elderly Yorkshire Terrier. 

How often should you feed a Yorkie?

Ideally, you should feed your Yorkie three to four meals a day, served in several batches, in a quiet place and at a fixed time. This will limit the risk of poor digestion and improve your dog’s food balance. This also helps to reduce the feeling of hunger because the daily ration is spread over the whole day.

It is important to bear in mind that they cannot eat a large quantity, so vigilance will be necessary.  A certain feeding habit has a direct impact on the dog’s life expectancy. 

Yorkshire terriers need very specific care and a proper diet will prevent them from contracting certain diseases. Although they have to be well-fed, you have to take good care of the quantity, since due to its size it is convenient to give it a fair amount. That is why it is important to know how much food to feed a dog or how to feed a dog.

The Yorkshire breed has some food preferences that we should know about. Also, tastes aside, there are certain foods that digest them better. Below, we will talk about the foods they like, the most favorable, and certain food supplements to add. 

What does Yorkshire eat?

Meat is the basis of a balanced diet for our Yorkshire. But we must not forget the important complements that the rest of the properties provide them for the correct development. Vegetables, various oils, and starches can be included in the filling diet. The place of origin of the breed plays an important role since its body is used to the foods of the area. 

In this case, the Yorkshire breed from England has preferences on the subject of food linked to the country. Although it is true that we can give him any other food, these in general, they tend to like more.

Apart from the fact that they can develop different tastes according to their first months and diet. The meat that the Yorkshire breed has historically eaten the most is lamb. It was an essential food in their diet. If, on the other hand, your Yorkie has not tried it yet, do not give it to him at once. 

If we want to, we can make him taste some lean meat and see how he reacts from then on. This is important so that your body can digest it and get used to it little by little. 

For any other food that we want or need to include in the diet, there is also a rule. It has to be done gradually. Specifically, we will add between 10 and 25% of that food to the diet each week. 

As a clarification, before making changes in the diet or giving him new food, we must consult with a specialist, in this case, our trusted veterinarian. Vegetables are also an important part of a Yorkie’s diet. Giving it only meat is not advisable, since its body needs other properties for its development and activity.

Potatoes or even beets are to the taste of this English breed. Of course, let’s not forget to introduce this food gradually into the diet. These vegetables must be cooked and served in very small quantities so that they are assimilated. There are other foods that we can give you, such as oils and other types of meat and vegetables. We have at our disposal many valid options for our Yorkshire to grow strong and energetic.

Although the proportions within the type of food are as follows:

– Animal protein. Between 50 and 75% of the diet should be animal protein. This will give you the energy you need for daily activities.

– Fats. Between 15 and 18% of the food you eat must be fat. There are two types of fats, we must try to give healthy fats.

– Carbohydrates. A quarter of the diet must be made up of carbohydrates. In this way, we will have a very complete, balanced, and healthy diet.

How often should you feed a Yorkie puppy? 

The puppy phase ends when the dog is 12 months from birth. Until then, the dry feed that we must give him will belong to the junior range. This I think is specifically manufactured to provide all the properties that a puppy needs.

It is an essential nutritional product in this phase. If it is important to give our dog quality food, it is much more important to do it during this stage. Apart from the fatty acids of two types (Omega 3 and 6) that the food should have, quality is important. It is during their growth and development stage that they can get more or fewer diseases. Based on the diet, we will have a strong and healthy or weak dog.

Feed containing, to a large extent, cereals or flour is not recommended at all. Instead, we have to choose those that provide them with nutrients, minerals and proteins. These foods give them a lot of energy and favors their intestinal transit, due to their fiber content. With breast milk, you can get some parasites or bacteria, but thanks to foods that contain fiber, they are eliminated without any problem.

In the first 60 days of life, so that it chews better, we can moisten the dry feed. Gradually and carefully, we will add less water each time. Finally, you will be able, without problems or difficulties, to chew the dry feed. During the first five months of life, the amount of food in the day will depend on your needs.

But when he turns half a year, we have to reduce the grams, since they gain weight easily.

How often should you feed an adult Yorkie?

It is a breed with a certain tendency to have a few extra kilos, so you have to be careful in its diet. We can base their diet on a dry feed for adults, which should be 1/5 of fruits and vegetables, 2/5 of protein, and one-tenth of healthy fats. The remaining part is advisable to be completed with cereals and fiber.

Adult Yorkshiremen no longer need to grow or develop, so energy consumption is also low. Consequently, we have to give him less food than when he was a puppy.

It is a breed that, even if it eats little, needs to exercise. The exercise must be moderate, taking into account its size. When we take it out for a walk, they release the energy they have accumulated. It is great for removing stress and anxiety. After the walk, our dog will be more relaxed.

How often should you feed an elderly Yorkie? 

Once he is 7 years old, he passes from adulthood to being old. So the feed must be from the senior range. In this phase, bone health becomes more important. Therefore, we will look for feed with a significant amount of calcium. Although he is still just as playful, his needs have changed, as well as his body. 

So we have to correct some aspects of your diet. You will no longer need as much energy provided by food, but rather vitamins. Walks are still very important in their routine, as it will help them stay healthy and active.

For our partner to be well-fed, we must take into account certain guidelines on a day-to-day basis. What we will need is Attention. Be aware of the amount our Yorkshire eats and to store the food in a place inaccessible to him.

 These measures are important, since they have a certain facility to gain a few extra kilos. Due to its low volume, a slight gain in weight can be crucial to your health. Foods. The food that we give him must be complete and healthy. If necessary, we can consult a professional from any specialized store for advice. It is very important to buy the ideal food, since your health and development depend on it.

Any breed of dog needs minimal care and attention in its diet. But small breeds need much more than large dogs. For this reason it is important to know how it digests certain types of food, the exact amounts to give it, and the properties. One step to take is to control your weight.

As we have noted above, weight is very important, the smaller the dog is. A slight rise is much more noticeable in dogs of this size. If they gain half a kilo, it is as if we gained 15 kilos at once. With these tips and information provided in the article, plus the help of the veterinarian, we will not have any problem with his diet.

Final thoughts

Food is one of the most important aspects of balanced growth and long life in good conditions. When we talk about the feeding of dogs, we must take into account the breed, age, and weight. In general, there are some bases to give a diet to all types of dogs, but with some other nuance. We have to take into account each of these factors and continuously monitor what they eat. 

Due to their size and character, the diet may vary from that of other dogs. It is necessary to give him a diet that gives him all the energy he needs for his activity and for healthy growth. A good diet is a difference in having a strong and resistant body to reach adulthood.

Click here to read more tips about feeding a Yorkshire terrier. 

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FAQ on How often should you feed a Yorkie?

References

Yorkieadvice.com

Petsworld.in